Helleborus plant named ‘EPB 24’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Helleborus  plant named ‘EPB 24’, characterized by its upright and mounding plant habit; uniform, continuous and freely flowering habit; relatively large light green-colored flowers that are held above the foliar plane on relatively long peduncles; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Helleborus X hybridus.

Cultivar denomination: ‘EPB 24’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Helleborus plant, botanically known as Helleborus X hybridus and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘EPB 24’.

The new Helleborus plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventors in Devon, United Kingdom. The objective of the breeding program was to create new freely-flowering Helleborus plants with strong peduncles that hold numerous attractive flowers above the foliar plane.

The new Helleborus plant originated from a cross-pollination conducted by the Inventors in Devon, United Kingdom on Jan. 5, 2007 of a proprietary seedling selection of Helleborus X hybridus identified as code designation H.116, as the female, or seed, parent, not patented, with a proprietary seedling selection of Helleborus X hybridus identified as code designation H.H472, as the male, or pollen, parent, not patented. The new Helleborus plant was discovered and selected by the Inventors as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination grown in a controlled greenhouse environment in Devon, United Kingdom on Jan. 26, 2010.

Asexual reproduction of the new Helleborus plant by meristem culture in a controlled greenhouse environment in De Lier, The Netherlands since Oct. 20, 2012, has shown that the unique features of this new Helleborus plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Helleborus have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype of the new Helleborus plant may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype of the new Helleborus plant.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘EPB 24’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘EPB 24’ as a new and distinct Helleborus plant:

-   -   1. Upright and mounding plant habit.     -   2. Uniform, continuous and freely flowering habit.     -   3. Relatively large light green-colored flowers that are held         above the foliar plane on relatively long peduncles.     -   4. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Helleborus differ from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Helleborus are shorter than plants of the         female parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Helleborus have larger flowers than plants         of the female parent selection.     -   3. Plants of the new Helleborus and the female parent selection         differ in flower color as plants of the female parent selection         have white-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Helleborus differ from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Helleborus are shorter than plants of the         male parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Helleborus have shorter peduncles than         plants of the male parent selection.     -   3. Plants of the new Helleborus and the male parent selection         differ in flower color as plants of the male parent selection         have white-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Helleborus can be compared to plants of Helleborus x hybridus ‘EPBRD01’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 25,685. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Helleborus differ from plants of ‘EPBRD01’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Helleborus are more freely flowering than         plants of ‘EPBRD01’.     -   2. Flowers of plants of the new Helleborus are slightly larger         than flowers of plants of ‘EPBRD01’.     -   3. Plants of the new Helleborus and ‘EPBRD01’ differ slightly in         flower color as plants of ‘EPBRD01’ have whiter-colored flowers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Helleborus plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Helleborus plant.

The photograph on the first sheet is a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘EPB 24’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of a typical flowering plant of ‘EPB 24’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown during the winter in three-liter containers in an outdoor nursery in Boijl, The Netherlands and under cultural practices typical of commercial Helleborus production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 0° C. to 10° C. and night temperatures ranged from −15° C. to 0° C. Plants were one year old when the photographs and the description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Helleborus hybridus ‘EPB 24’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary seedling selection of             Helleborus X hybridus identified as code designation H.116,             not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary seedling selection of             Helleborus X hybridus identified as code designation H.H472,             not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By meristem culture.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 15 days at             temperatures about 22° C. to 25° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 15 to 22 days at             temperatures about 5° C. to 10° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About two             months at temperatures about 20° C.         -   Root description.—Fleshy, vigorous; typically white to brown             in color, actual color of the roots is dependent on             substrate composition, water quality, fertilizer type and             formulation, substrate temperature and physiological age of             roots. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Herbaceous perennial; upright and             mounding plant habit with flowers held above the foliar             plane; moderately vigorous to vigorous growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 25 cm to 35 cm.         -   Plant diameter (area of spread).—About 20 cm to 25 cm.         -   Stems.—Strength: Strong. Aspect: Mostly upright. Texture and             luster: Smooth, glabrous; glossy. Color: Close to 146C with             spots, close to 187A. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Leaves arranged alternately in a basal rosette;             leaves palmately compound with three to five leaflets per             leaf.         -   Leaflet length.—About 12 cm to 15 cm.         -   Leaflet width.—About 8 cm to 10 cm.         -   Leaflet shape.—Ovate to lanceolate.         -   Leaflet apex.—Acute.         -   Leaflet base.—Acute.         -   Leaflet margin.—Serrate.         -   Leaflet texture and luster, upper surface.—Smooth, glabrous;             leathery; glossy.         -   Leaflet texture and luster, lower surface.—Smooth, glabrous;             leathery; somewhat glossy.         -   Leaflet venation pattern.—Pinnate.         -   Leaflet color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to             137A; towards the center, slightly overlain with close to             193A. Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 138B. Fully             expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 139A; venation,             close to 139D, proximally, close to 187A. Fully expanded             leaves, lower surface: Close to 137C; venation, close to             139C and 187A.         -   Petioles.—Length: About 10 cm to 16 cm. Diameter: About 5 mm             to 7 mm. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,             glabrous. Color, developing leaves, upper and lower             surfaces: Close to 146C; spots, close to 187A. Color, fully             expanded leaves, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 146C;             spots, close to N199A. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower shape and habit.—Single rotate flowers arranged in             loosely branched cymes; freely flowering habit with             typically about 15 to 20 flowers developing per cyme and up             to 40 flowers developing per cyme in the second year of             growth; flowers facing outwardly and somewhat drooping.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Natural flowering season.—Plants begin flowering about two             months after planting; plants flower from January until             March in the United Kingdom.         -   Flower longevity on the plant.—Typically more than two             months; flowers persistent.         -   Inflorescence height.—About 25 cm to 30 cm.         -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 20 cm to 30 cm.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 1 cm to 3 cm. Diameter: About 1             cm to 2 cm. Shape: Ovoid. Color: Close to 147D slightly             tinged with close to N187D.         -   Flower diameter.—About 8 cm.         -   Flower depth (height).—About 2 cm to 3 cm.         -   Petals.—None observed; transformed into nectaries.         -   Sepals.—Quantity and arrangement: Five arranged in a single             whorl. Length: About 4 cm. Width: About 3 cm to 4 cm. Shape:             Elliptic to obovate. Apex: Obtuse and occasionally             emarginate. Base: Rounded. Margin: Mostly entire and             occasionally emarginate. Texture and luster, upper and lower             surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; matte. Color: When opening and             fully opened, upper surface: Close to 147D; color does not             change with development. When opening and fully opened,             lower surface: Close to 147D slightly tinged with close to             N187D; color does not change with development.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 20 cm. Diameter: About 5 mm to             10 mm. Strength: Strong. Aspect: Mostly upright. Texture:             Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 146C; spots, close to             187A.         -   Pedicels.—Length: About 4 cm to 10 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm             to 4 mm. Aspect: About 10° from peduncle axis. Strength:             Strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 146C;             spots, close to 187A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: About 60.             Filament length: About 1.5 cm to 1.8 cm. Filament color:             Close to 157D. Anther shape: Elliptic to ovate. Anther             length: About 2 mm. Anther color: Close to 10B. Pollen             amount: Scarce. Pollen color: Close to 10B. Pistils:             Quantity per flower: About five. Pistil length: About 3 cm.             Stigma shape: Club-shaped. Stigma color: Close to 157C.             Style length: About 2 cm. Style color: Close to 142B. Ovary             color: Close to 142B.         -   Nectaries.—Quantity per flower: About 10 to 15. Length:             About 5 mm to 8 mm. Width: About 3 mm. Shape: Funnelform.             Color: Close to N144C; towards the apex, close to 150B.         -   Seeds and fruits.—To date, seed and fruit development have             not been observed on plants of the new Helleborus. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Helleborus have been observed     to have good garden performance and to tolerate rain, wind and     temperatures ranging from about −10° C. to about 35° C. -   Pathogen & pest resistance: To date, plants of the new Helleborus     have not been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common     to Helleborus plants. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Helleborus plant named ‘EPB 24’ as illustrated and described. 